Mad About Multiples!

Who Loves Preschool More? Me or Them?

ed. note: As the end of the school year approaches, and we get geared up for summer let's look back with Amy T. (Mom to two kinders now) as she get's excited for the start of another year of preschool.

As a parent in a parent participation preschool, starting school again is not only exciting for my kids, but for me as well!  I have been missing the other parents that I have gotten to know so well last year in the 2's class and then I had a chance to meet some new parents during summer school.  So this year in the 3's class we will all be together and I can't wait to get back!  I have come to rely on the school community very much - the parents are some of my closest friends and the teachers' experience and knowledge about child development has forever changed me as a parent.

We started at Explorer Preschool when the twins were only 19 months old in a Together Time for Parents and Toddlers class.  A few other Gemini Crickets families were enrolling their twins, as well as several close friends of mine who had a child the same age.   It was a great way to get out with the kids in a preschool setting with other moms that I knew while getting some much needed parent education in the process.  Being a former teacher myself, I just couldn't get enough of this school!  I felt completely welcomed there and I embraced the child-centered play-based philosophy immediately.  I had so many questions about my own toddlers' development and throw in the fact that I had TWO toddlers going through the exact SAME stages at the SAME time made this program a sanity life saver.

What I Want for Mother's Day *Winner*

By Valerie Terry

Hey! There's an awesome giveaway at the end of this post being offered up by Dishcrawl! Leave a comment to win.

I consider myself a lover of food, but when I think to the last actual new restaurant I tried, I feel like someone is going to yank my foodie street cred. We've come to the point where it's not so easy to just go out and try something new. The girls are now at an age where they have opinions. They have likes, dislikes, and it's really bad form to pack them a separate dinner in a cooler so hubby and I can eat where we want.

Elise and Stella at Aqui. One of our go-to restaurants.

 

Kids aside, there are other reasons we avoid trying new places: There have been the dirty looks by other patrons as we troop in. The serving of adult meals first, so our food gets cold as we arrange the kids food when it finally arrives. Or the serving of kids meals too soon so they are done by the time the grown-up food arrives. The melt down as we wait. and wait. and wait. for a check to arrive. The awful food some popular restaurants serve to the littlest customers. I could go on, but you get the point, it's hard to try something new when you've got a gaggle a kids tagging along.

I know we could devote more of our precious date-nights to grown-up eating, but the thing is, I like to eat out with my kids. I like them to try foods I don't often make at home. They have a budding taste for sushi. There are favorites at the Indian restaurant. Pad Thai is a winner every time. So we keep going back to the handful of safe tried-and-true restaurants in our repertoire.

But to a woman like me who wants to know what's new and exciting, it gets, well, old.

Double Click Tuesdays: Spring Picnic

Gemini Crickets hosted a carnival-themed Spring Picnic this year for our memebers. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon and welcome in the warm South Bay Area weather. Thank you to the hard-working party planning team, we couldn't have fun without you!

 

Custom made Gemini Crickets!

Making new friends.

 

 

Grabbing a cool drink.

 

A sea of bubbles on a beautiful day.

 

Baby Gear Essentials for Twins - Strollers

By Gabi Scott

There are man y, many baby products out in the world, but for an expecting parent of multiples, that world becomes strange and overwhelming really quickly. It seems like products designed specifically for multiples are either fabulous or obscure and sometimes too cumbersome to use. I am sharing some of my experiences here, but as always, do research before buying anything pricey. I search Amazon and mommy discussion forums before buying big items but the best advice I have gotten is when I have stopped other parents and asked their opinion.

I have been asked a few times, "What is the single most useful product for twins?" Wow... that's hard, but my answer is my stroller/strollers for the first few years. Having a good stroller = freedom. With now 1 year old twins and a 3 year old big brother, I absolutely cannot go anywhere or do anything without our stroller. I also value it for being able to take walks to get exercise, go to community events like parades, and manage being able to get to the grocery store if needed.

Our first "Twin" Stroller, the Joovy Big Caboose, was a disaster! I thought we'd found the perfect product that would get us through many years, but it was hard to steer, cumbersome and heavy. We bought it used off Craigslist and only pushed it empty before purchasing. Big mistake...

What did we replace that with? The Valco Tri-Mode Twin with the Joey Seat. It has all terrain tires, a great weight limit, and is well built. It's also heavy, but what would you expect for a stroller that can cart up to 135lbs of kids? Our "lightweight" stroller for just the twins is a Graco DuoGlider that I was happy to discover had nice looking updated fabric. I didn't think it was a Graco at first take at the resell shop.

If you don't have siblings to worry about stowing, the Baby Jogger City Select with additional seat or the City Mini Double have been favorites of other twin moms I know. A bit pricey, but light weight and well made.

Additionally, the Baby Trend Double Snap and Go is fabulous for it's low price and simplicity but only works well on flat, smooth surfaces.You'll have to upgrade once the babies are out of their infant carriers too. But most sell used for $40 so it's a bargain for the beginning!

Whatever stroller you go with, check Craigslist or resale shops for a used one. After just a few months, your new stroller will look used any way, you're kids won't notice, and you can save hundreds of bucks that you'll be glad you have to purchase diapers and other essentials. Plus buying used is a great way to recycle!

And don't forget to join us on Monday April 16 from 6:30-8:00 PM for our New and Expectant Parents meeting: Gidgets, Gadgets, & More! Join seasoned parents of multiplesas they talk about the "must haves" and the "nice to haves" when it comes to everything gear! The meeting will take place at the Cambrain Library Community room.

 

Gabi also shares her opinions and adventures on snibbles and bits

Gemini Crickets, Mad About Multiples, and the Author have not received any compensation for this review of products.

This is an original post to Mad About Multiples.

Sponsored Post: Happy Campers at Camp Galileo

With Spring Break over (or just beginning) for many of our school-aged families, parents of busy multiples *might* be wondering if it's too late to sign up for summer camp. While enrollment started last month for this summer, never fear, many camps still have room to spare for one (or two) more.

With that in mind, Mad About Multiples and Gemini Crickets is happy to announce that one of our members' favorites, Camp Galileo, is still accepting reservations for their many summer sessions. With a multitude of options for kids entering Kindergarten through eighth grade Camp Galileo has something for everyone.

About CAMP GALILEO

At Camp Galileo, pre-K – rising 5^th graders engage in hands-on art, science and outdoor activities every day, plus have tons of fun with camp traditions like team color day, water ball and capture the rubber chicken. Visit our website to learn about our four brand-new themes for 2012.

Check out four brand-new themes at Camp Galileo in Summer 2012:

• Galileo Olympics: Greek Art & The Science of The Games
• Celebrate the Golden Gate: SF Art & Bridge Engineering
• Leonardo’s Apprentice: Renaissance Art & Inventions
• Galileo Rocks! The Art & Science of Music

GALILEO SUMMER QUEST

At Galileo Summer Quest, rising 5^th-8^th graders try their hand at the things they love, diving into one exciting major during each weeklong session, with options like Go-Kart Makers, Fashion Design, Video Game Design and Chefology. Visit our website to learn about all 15 majors offered in 2012.

 

 

OTHER GALILEO CAMPS

 

The Tech Summer Camps (rising 4^th-8^th graders): Hands-on science and technology classes for aspiring scientists and engineers at the Tech Museum in San Jose.

Chabot Space & Science Camp (rising 3^rd-7^th graders): Fun engineering, technology, earth and space science classes at the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland.

To enroll or learn more, visit www.galileo-learning.com or call 1-800-854-3684.

 

 

 

 

Not only is Camp Galileo an awesome place for kids to spend some time this summer, but Camp Galileo is awesome for supporting Gemini Crickets as well. They will be donating vouchers for two week-long camp sessions to our annual auction fundraiser this year. Thank you Camp Galileo!

This is a sponsored post to Mad About Multiples. Camp Galileo provided pictures and information about their camps for this post. We ask all readers to preform their own due-diligence to make sure any summer camp is a fit for their family.

This is our best garage sale of the year! Open to the public and chock-full of amazing deals on baby gear and kid necessities. Save the date and be sure to swing on by.

Double Click Tuesdays: Friends

Sometimes being a twin just isn't enough--we need friends too! Here we have three friends taking a walk to Deer Hollow together. They could *almost* be triplets. ;)

 

Stella & Elise (faternal twin sisters) with good friend Tiny in the back

This is an original post to Mad About Multiples and is part of the Double Click Tuesdays photo series.

 

Top O' The Morning!

While some of us are looking for hidden treasure today, Sarah A-K found hers last St. Patrick's day in the form of her wee ones Elspeth and Niall.

At only two weeks old, it looks like little Elspeth is already spinning tales for brother Niall.

 

 

Have a wonderful treasure-filled day!

This is an original post to Mad About Multiples and is part of the Double Click Tuesdays photo series.

Double Click Tuesdays: Butterfly Babies

Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz is home to the beautiful wintering population of Monarch Butterflies from October through March. In a good butterfly year, as many as 200,000 butterflies can be spotted in the eucalyptus grove. Of course, that's not the only natural wonder attracted to the spot and with smiles as cute as these who needs butterflies?

 

 

Thanks to mom Thereas D. for sharing Sydney and Zachary at age 9 months enjoying the beauties of nature.

 This is an original post to Mad About Multiples and is part of the Double Click Tuesdays photo series.

Double Click Tuesdays: In Like a Lion...

and out like a...

 

 

That's how we know Spring has arrived around here. Of course our favorite flocks tend to look like this:

 

 

Thanks to Mari B. for sharing her girls Naomi, Lilli and Elise enjoying a favorite rite of Spring, visiting the sheep farm!

 

This is an original post to Mad About Multiples and is part of the Double Click Tuesdays photo series.